The Love of Money

Updated on September 12, 2009

Living in a material world

There' s a saying, "Do not value money for any more nor any less than its worth; it is a good servant but a bad master"-Alexandre Dumas

Last night we picked a Netflix movie to watch online, a documentary about the Enron scandal, entitled."The Smartest Guys in the Room" It was mind boggling! I don't know about you, but if you know about it, you have to be appalled and shocked, It was so unreal, i thought i was watching fiction. I was left wondering how a crime of such grand proportion could be committed in the name of 'good business', perpetrated by 'highly respectable' businessmen in connivance with accounting companies of the biggest banks and financial institutions. Men who were caught, tried to lie and deny their culpability. What is it that brought about such greed, from men who came from good backgrounds, and one of whom happened to be the son of a preacher? Why did they do it and what made them think they could get away with it?

Rev. Howard Bess, said in his writing, Obscene Wealth Can Be a Deadly Sin, Somewhere along the development of our national life, we have become proud not of being the freest of nations, but proud of being the wealthiest of nations. Freedom is not one of the deadly sins. Greed is a deadly sin and has the power to destroy a whole nation-

He went on to say, America has become obscenely greedy, obsessed with wealth. In the past 30 years, there has been a steady increase in the percentage of total American wealth that is held by those who are richest. In the past eight years, all of the economic growth in the United States ended up on the balance sheets of the wealthiest 5 percent of Americans. The growth in the number of American billionaires has been exponential. It is generally agreed that unbridled and uncontrolled pursuit of wealth has led us to our present horrific economic crisis.We Americans need to admit that the desire for more and more possessions and wealth does not affect only the rich. We are all infected with the wealth obsession as indicated by the level of our credit card debt.

On a personal note, i know lust and greed up close. I have moved among men and women in high places and i have seen from their eyes and demeanor that they have 'sold' their souls to god mammon. I have experienced early on in life, through my dad's own error, how his lusting broke our home. Money doesn't buy happiness, love nor peace of mind. I'm glad i woke up to that truth, yet i still made some bad choices. I try much harder to adhere to life's true values, by treating wealth or money no more than tools for good. To worship it guarantees my harm and destruction. We can gloat and judge the big fish celebrity who get caught with his or her finger on the cookie jar, the likes of Enrons Ken Lay, and Skillings, Bernie Madoff, and other Wall Street crooks. Imagine, according to the U.S. Attorney's office in the southern district of New York, Madoff defrauded clients for up to $50 billion in a massive Ponzi scheme that was committed over a number of years. Just how did he pull this off? But, we must ask ourselves, just how close is this problem to where we live? As humans we are prone to our own weaknesses and we are subject to desires we find hard to control. Without any moral compass, there's nothing to restrain us from cheating a little here and there. It's easy to tell white lies and cut corners. We've all done it. Things like this don't happen overnight. It seeps into our system, slowly.

Money may be the husk of many things but not the kernel. It brings you food, but not appetite; medicine, but not health; acquaintance, but not friends; servants, but not loyalty; days of joy, but not peace or happiness -Henrik Ibsen

Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.- Hebrews 13:5

Wisdom is a shelter as money is a shelter, but the advantage of knowledge is this: that wisdom preserves the life of its possessor.- Ecclesiastes 7:12

Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income. This too is meaningless.- Ecclesiastes 5:10

Comments 11 comments

Perhaps this is where karma comes in? I too have seen the soul's tests up close and personal: lust, greed, anger etc. I've also seen, as you so well stated Islandvoice, that those who indulge in these tests are not only far from contentment and peace or compassion, but suffer far worse fates than imaginable. At least, I've seen it when they steal from others consciously, or manipulate for gain as though a price will never have to be paid - its an ugly payback to even witness!

Great subject - currently very close to my heart due to having been ripped off by those gripped with greed... thanks for sharing

IslandVoice 7 years ago from Hawaii Author

I join you SEM Pro. We live in an unsafe world filled with greed. As long as we keep away from it, we'll be fine.

James A Watkins 7 years ago from Chicago

You did a fine job of explicating the corrupting influence of the love of money. Thanks.

IslandVoice 7 years ago from Hawaii Author

Thanks James! I think we can agree that money is not evil, it's the love/lust of it. Thanks for the visit.

muley84 7 years ago from Miami,FL

Excellent post. If we as a people are not careful, greed will destroy our country. Corporate greed is responsible for the financial mess we are in right now.

IslandVoice 7 years ago from Hawaii Author

We can't say it enough muley! But we must all look inside us because that's where it all happens.

DREAM ON 7 years ago

This hub should be on the front page of every newspaper in the country.When will all people understand money is just a tool for what we need.We have to put all the hard work in.There is no way about it.I may not have a lot of money.I have given more away than I can ever make.After awhile you don't miss it.People mean the world to me.Money can never change that. Great hub.

IslandVoice 7 years ago from Hawaii Author

Thanks Dream On! Greed is everywhere, there's no doubt. You are right, people are more important than money. Your comment is much appreciated.

John Cain 7 years ago from Dayton, Texas

A very enlightening write up. Enjoyed it!!!

IslandVoice 7 years ago from Hawaii Author

Thanks John!

Yasin 18 months ago

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